Mark of Power
by Maru-x-Karuka
Summary: Allen is a Marked omega freed from enslavement; if only the Royal family believed him. Kanda is a royal guard with a secret, he is Marked. When he arrests the enticing omega criminal, his alpha instincts draw him in. Now he has a choice to make; betray his country or his own kind?
1. Prologue

Since the beginning of time, man has held great power. People who could do wonderous things were considered Gods and soon the bodies of these early humans began to create tattoos in the skin to mark the being as powerful.

As civilizations grew, so did the meanings of these marked people and books were written on how these people should be treated, how they should be seen. One man, by the name of Adam, created a book on the system of these marks. He wrote how the placement of these marks showed the strength of the power and the color showed the purpose. It was this same man that concluded and showed the world that these gifted people were actually beneath those without power. The people sucked this information in, taking to burning the homes of these marked people and enslaving them.

A few thousand years later and the people who had once been worshipped were still enslaved, with only one glimmer of hope. A master could present their marked slave with an item of worth to set them free; a rare occurrence. The marked people never knew their powers, for once discovered, an inhibitor was implanted in their neck. With no ability to defend themselves, these people worked in fear.

* * *

It was winter in England, the sky a light gray as snow lazily drifted down from the heavens. No one paid attention to the small figure scrunched up against the brick wall, not one glance was sent his way. Not one, until a man in a rich black suit and top hat stopped in front of the boy.

"It's nearly time for supper young man. You best be off to home now." The man said as he crouched down to get a better look at the child in front of him. He watched as the child lifted his head and peered at him with stunning silver eyes, the ratty blanket covering the boy moving to show ivory locks of hair coated in dirt.

"Come now, you must be freezing. Up with you now." The man tried once more, waiting as the child looked at him in confusion.

"Why're ya talkin' ta me?" the boy whispered.

"Why? You look cold and I can see the longing of warmth in those large eyes of yours. I bet a warm fire and some hot soup will perk you right back up in no time. But we best be off before the light runs out." The boy seemed to like this answer for he slowly stood and shook some snow from his body. At full height, the boy maybe reached three feet and was very thin. The man, who had stood up when the boy had, bent down and picked the child up into his arms and walked into the street towards a carriage.

"Cornwall, please." The man said to the carriage driver as he got into the carriage with the boy. The other man nodded once and shook the reins, the horse neighing in annoyance before going, dragging the carriage behind them.

"Well, young man, we'll be at the manor in an hour or so. What might your name be? I should like to find your parents before they worry too much about you."

"I don't got a name. My parents are gone." was all the boy said before turning his head to observe the land as they passed it by.

"No name? Well I am Sir Mana Walker, and if you have no name then I shall come up with one for you, no one should go on without a name." Mana said cheekily, giving the boy a silly smile. The boy smiled a little and looked down at his lap.

"I'd like that, sir."

"Now now, no need to use 'sir' my dear boy. Why, it makes me feel quite old indeed. But I believe that I have the perfect name for a young man such as yourself. Allen. What do you think?"

The newly named Allen looked at Mana with round eyes, tears beginning to fill his sight.

"I love it. Thank you." Allen whispered.

The two sat in companionable silence until a large manor came into view. Mana smiled and once they stopped, helped Allen out of the carriage.

"Welcome to your new home!" Mana exclaimed merrily as he ushered the boy into the mansion with haste. Servants milling about stood at attention when the master of the house came in.

"This child is Allen, he is our guest. Please find him some new clothes as well as give him a bath. Prepare us supper as well." The man said as he handed the boy off to an elderly woman before heading towards the study.

"Right this way Young Master Allen, you must be freezing in those damp clothes. Mary! Draw the bath!" she screeched as she led Allen towards a bathing room where steaming water filled the rather large tub.

As the elderly woman began to tug on Allen's clothes, the boy shrunk away. Not seeming to take the hint, the woman plucked the shirt off to reveal a pale chest and a striking red arm.

"Marked…" she whispered before running out of the room. Not knowing what else to do, Allen finished stripping and got into the warm water, sighing loudly when the warmth hit his freezing skin. He grabbed the soap and began to lather himself, remembering how to do it after a nun, who had never told the guards about him, showed him how to bathe himself.

He then looked at the rather expensive looking bottle of oil for his hair and began to scrub the dirt away when the door to the bathing room opened. In the doorway stood Mana, his breath erratic. The man's nostrils flared and his eyes darted to the red arm.

"Omega and Marked." Allen sunk down to hide himself a little, he didn't want to be thrown out, or worse, enslaved.

"Agnes, go get Mother." Mana said as he came up to Allen who still sat in the tub.

"Allen, listen to me. Do you know what a Marked person is?" Allen nodded.

"Good. Can you keep a secret?" Allen nodded once more.

"My brother is Marked. He was taken from me and I have not seen him in some years. I will not let that happen to you. We will hide your Mark for as long as we can. But you must promise me something. You must never tell a soul about your Mark. Not even the other staff. Only me, Agnes, and Mother will know. Do you understand?" Mana explained, grabbing Allen's left arm and caressing the appendage.

Allen looked at Mana and watched as Agnes returned with another elderly woman who must be Mother.

"I understand. Thank you, sir." Mana smiled softly.

"Call me Mana, my dear sweet child."


	2. Marked Life

Blood. The crimson liquid stained the snow a strange pink. Allen wasn't entirely sure what had happened per se but he did know that he, once again, had no home. One minute him and Mana were walking the streets of England towards the apothecary for him when a man who was running towards them grabbed him and pulled him away from Mana, a knife to his throat.

Mana had reacted instantly, his body moving to destroy the man that had endangered his pup. Even though they were not of blood, the alpha within Mana recognized Allen as his own and couldn't let the boy come to harm. Then the world had blurred. Clearly something went wrong because when Allen came to, Mana was laying on the ground, a pool of blood staining the floor, and the other man was sitting again the wall, blood surrounding the prone body. The only indication that what he saw was reality, was the burning on his face.

* * *

12 years later

Allen stood stock still in the shadows of the alleyway. His arm burned painfully but he never let the pain distract him from his goal; there, in one of the merchants carts, was a nice piece of silk, worth more than him. He slowly crept out of the alley and towards the cart, feeling the burn from his face start and the burn in his arm intensify. He needed this, the money would pay for the official forms, he could truly be free. Once the merchant turned to talk to an elderly woman, the albino made his move. He slipped up towards the cart and grabbed three pieces of silk, one red, one canary yellow, and the other a rich plum. Smiling to himself, Allen left unseen with the silk textiles in hand.

Once he got to the alleyway, he sat down and looked at the pieces he had stolen. The red and yellow silk would probably pay for his documents while the plum would be able to get him the herbs he needed from the apothecary two villages away. The one only two streets away wouldn't sell to a lone omega, an alpha had to be present; the other downside was the further shop was more expensive.

After Mana was killed, he had roamed the streets covering his Marks, until he was taken in by Cross Marian. The man had healed him but had then sold him out as a Marked and Allen was enslaved at the tender age of eight. His only saving grace was the ineffectiveness of the inhibitors that Marked are forced to take. He had been held down and force fed the debilitating herbs but his arm had flared up and the herbs were rejected.

But the past was the past and nothing could be done. Allen shoved the silks into his sleeve and left the alleyway once more, walking over to one of the lesser streets where Marked were forced to live. As he entered, the albino could see several alphas leering at him, eyeing him like a piece of fresh meat.

"Hello there beautiful~" one of the alphas cat-called. Allen ignored the man and carried on towards a small store with signs asking for help posted on all the windows repeatedly.

"Good afternoon Mr. Lee, I have some silks I'd like to sell." Allen said as he greeted the strange non-Marked man. Mr. Lee looked up from his hands and gave Allen a large smile.

"Hello Allen. Silks you say?" Allen handed the silks over and gave the man a small smile. He liked Komui, he never treated Allen like a piece of meat or disregarded him for his Marked status.

"Lets see, I can give you twenty silver pieces for the red and yellow silks. That should be enough for those documents and the herbs for your heat." Komui said, looking at the young albino with empathy.

"Twenty silver pieces?! That's too much. If you want to give me twenty silver, take the plum as well. Please!" Allen cried out, not wanting sympathy from the man he felt was a friend.

"Oh Allen. You've worked far too hard, the twenty silver are plenty for the two silks. And for the plum, I think Lenalee could make you something nice to wear for when you go to get your documents." The man said, his smile switching from empathy to genuine concern. Allen sighed but knew he couldn't argue with the man, he'd have to thank him and his sister. Maybe he'd get Lenalee a nice piece of jewelry and Komui could use a new hat.

"Alright, I'll take you up on that offer." Allen said as he handed the silks over and received the coins. Komui smiled and watched as Allen left the shop to get his herbs for the coming week. He thought of when he first met the albino, a small child going through his first heat in the streets of England; he had immediately taken the boy to his home and together with his sister, they brought the boys fever down and helped him. When he had awoken he had been frightened, he was in a strange bed and nude. Komui had assured that all was well and that he could help the boy. He lived with them to this day.

Allen looked at the sky, the grey clouds showing rain was coming; he wouldn't make it to the next village with the storm coming in so quickly. Walking into an inn, the omega sat at the bar and watched people come in from the rain which had recently started. One of them, he noticed, was a royal guard judging by the red and gold emblem on the mans chest plate. Eyes narrowing, the Marked quickly made sure the wrapping on his face was still there and that his arm was covered. He still wasn't free, he could be taken at any time.

"What're ya drinkin' kid?" the bartender asked, startling Allen.

"Red, please." Allen whispered and soon was given a glass of red wine.

"Can I ask, who is that man?" Allen asked, nodding towards the royal guard. The bartender looked at the man and frowned slightly.

"That there be one o' the generals. Famous fer catching Marked runaways." the man said, polishing glasses as he talked. Allen's eyes widened; he had to get out of there fast without being seen. Just as he made to leave, the general looked at him, his cobalt eyes staring at him intensely.


	3. Omega and Alpha

Allen stared right back at the general, hoping his Marks weren't identified. He knew his status as an omega was already revealed, no matter what he did his scent never seemed to leave him. However, much to his surprise, the general looked away and went back to drinking his ale rather than confronting him. Allen raised an eyebrow in confusion but took the chance to finish his wine and leave the inn. Despite the rain, the albino walked in the street towards the apothecary, holding the satchel of silver close to his chest so as to allude pickpockets. He made his way over to a smaller brick building with a weather worn sign saying 'Apothecary'. The omega slowly knocked on the door, entering when he heard a muffled 'come in' from inside the building.

"Hello. I need suppressant herbs please." Allen said as he took out the small purse filled with silver. The elderly man smiled and nodded before turning around and opening several different jars of herbs and putting the herbs into a small envelope.

"It's good to see you Allen. How are Komui and Lenalee?" the cheerful man asked as he handed the omega the envelope. Allen smiled at Tiedoll and took the envelope and placing it into his jacket.

"They're doing great. Komui sends his regards and Lenalee's wound has healed nicely." the omega said as he bid the man good-day. He left the store quietly so as to not disturb the peaceful quiet. During his time in the shop, the rains had worsened and the omega found himself stepping into a storm; however, he had no other option, he couldn't afford to purchase an oilskin or an umbrella. As he trudged through the rain, he passed by people who were running to get out of the rain and bumping into him. Feeling his abdomen tighten, the omega quickly grabbed for his herbs when someone came running up and grabbed the sack out of his hands.

"Wait!" the omega yelled as he made to chase after the person but he quickly lost sight of them in the crowd. He couldn't believe this was happening, his herbs were gone! And he could already feel the beginning of his heat coming, his body becoming warmer by the minute. Not knowing what else to do, Allen ran as quickly as he could back to the inn to try and escape the crowds of people before his heat came full force.

He ran into the inn and made a beeline for the master, hoping to get a room so he can ride his heat out without an alpha forcing themselves onto him. The master gave him an inquisitive look before his nostrils flared, clearly smelling the pheromones now pouring from the pale omega.

"What can I do for you?" the master of the inn asked, clearly trying to stall. Allen pulled his last piece of silver from his satchel and slammed it onto the table.

"I need a room for the night." the omega demanded, starting to curl in on himself from the intensifying heat within him. The master smirked and took the piece of silver, twirling it between his fingers while assessing the omega. "Why don't you come with me gorgeous, I'll make you feel really good." the man leered, running his hand up Allen's arm. Allen shivered and pulled back, hating the arousal that ran down his body. He didn't want to have sex with this man but his body wouldn't listen to reason.

"You can stay in my room, doll~" the master said lewdly, making to grab Allen's other arm when a tanned hand grabbed the man's wrist. Allen turned around to see the general from before holding the master at bay, sporting a rather deep glare and a low growl rumbling in his chest. The omega in Allen preened at the dominating scent and the albino couldn't stop himself from leaning into the chiseled chest. The general was clearly an alpha, though something about his scent was even more dominating that usual, almost like he was a prime alpha.

"This ones mine." the alpha growled out before pulling Allen further into his chest and taking the silver piece from the master. Without any further discussion, the general picked the omega up and carried him up the wooden stairs to a small room with one bed. Allen whimpered and exposed his neck, much to his mortification, and flushed when he felt slick begin to trickle down his thigh.

"Please...I don't...stop." the albino panted, hoping the alpha wouldn't forcefully mate him. The general set him down onto the bed and stepped back, going over to the window and closing the dark green curtains, casting the room into darkness. Without saying one word, the alpha left the room and Allen faintly heard the sound of a lock closing. The alpha had protected him; he wasn't going to be raped. With a quick sigh of relief, the albino settled into the bed and curled into himself, hoping this heat wouldn't last longer than a day or two.

* * *

Kanda sat outside of his room, the omega in heat residing within his room. His alpha had screamed in yearning for the fertile omega, it took all his strength to not fuck the albino into the mattress but he would never rape an unwilling omega, even if they were in heat. Knowing that other alphas smelling the omega's heat would show up, the general sat outside the door and unsheathed mugen, placing the katana on his lap. With a sigh, Kanda prepared himself for a long night of fighting other alphas off from the heat ridden omega just on the other side of the door.

"Tsk. Damned Moyashi." Kanda whispered as an alpha, the master of the inn, came growling over to where he sat. Looked like it would be a very long night.


	4. Teasingly Stalking

"Tsk. Damned Moyashi." Kanda whispered as an alpha, the master of the inn, came growling over to where he sat. Looked like it would be a very long night.

* * *

Allen couldn't recall much from the past two days, his heat, which he hadn't had for a few months, was more intense than usual. All he could really remember was comfort and the occasional tanned hand replacing a wet cloth on his forehead. On the afternoon of the second day, the omega finally gained some semblance of sense back. He slowly turned to his side and saw the noon suns' rays streaming through the curtains.

"I see you're up and about now." came a husky voice. Allen turned to see the general from before looming at the entrance of the room. The alpha sat on one of the wooden chairs in the corner of the room, enough distance between the two of them to show a severe lack of trust. Allen sat up, checking himself slowly to make sure nothing unwanted had been done; and once he found no evidence of foul play, the omega sighed and gave the general a speculative look.

"I want to thank you for your help, but I am unsure as to why you chose to help rather than take me." the albino asked softly. He noted that the general had some small cuts here and there but thought nothing of it in the event that he may have caused them.

"You were an unmated omega desperately pleading for help. I'm not one to take any unmated omega, especially when their thoughts are clouded by heat. Think nothing else of it." the general said curtly, nodding to a bundle of new clothes and a small coin purse.

"Then those cuts?" Allen asked, not making a move to grab the items the alpha had gestured towards. The alpha seemed to think for a moment before coming to a conclusion and speaking plainly. "The master of the inn went into a rut, he came after you and I subdued him. Now hurry along little Moyashi, you wouldn't want to get caught in another storm." The omega in Allen purred at the fact that the alpha in front of him had subdued enemies but the rational side picked up on the teasing and wasn't happy about it.

"Hmph! I did not need your help, but thank you anyways." Allen said with a slightly arrogant tone and got out of bed, not caring that he was nude in front of an alpha. Gathering his clothes, the omega quickly got dressed and made his way out of the room, flashing a quick smirk when the alpha clearly smelled his lingering pheromones. Once out of the inn, Allen made his way to the main cobblestone street and headed towards the city, hoping Komui and Lenalee hadn't been too worried about him the past couple days. However, as he walked towards the city, he couldn't help but notice the alpha general following him.

Turning around, he hissed. "Why are you following me?!" the omega was confused, he both felt angry and aroused at the seemingly possessive display. Clearly his heat was still lingering.

"I am not following you, I am merely headed the same direction...unless you wanted me to follow you?" the general smirked, loving the way the omega bristled at the teasing tone of his voice.

"Well stop. I don't need one of the royal families' 'pets' to follow me around and mess things up." Allen sneered before jerking his head and continuing on his way home, hoping beyond hope that the man would cease. His luck, it would seem, was still nonexistent since not only did the alpha continue to follow him, he had the gall to walk up closer to him.

Deciding that ignoring the man was better than constantly getting frustrated at the teasing remarks, Allen merely continued on his way into the city and watched in amusement as the alpha tried to weave through the crowds of people while he simply melted into the scenery. Once he reached home, he mentally prepared himself for the berating he was about to receive from two very angry betas. But again, his luck had not come for as he reached for the handle, a tanned hand covered his own.

"What the fuck?! Will you just leave?" Allen hissed, growing angrier by the minute. The alpha merely looked at his for a moment before smirked and pulling him away from the door and opening it himself.

"I have business with Komui." came the curt reply before the general went inside. Sighing in frustration, Allen simply followed the man inside and winced when a very angry Lenalee came down the stairs.

"Allen Walker you better explain yourself!" the furious beta screamed as she walked up to him and put her hands on her hips. "We were worried sick! You could have been killed or raped or worse! You better have a damn good explanation." the woman fumed, raising herself up higher. Allen, being small for his age, was intimidated by the angry beta, she was taller than him and pissed. This did not bode well for him.

"Well, you see, I..." Allen began before he was interrupted by a tanned hand covering his mouth.

"He got caught in a storm and went into heat. He stayed with me while he rode it out." the general explained, scowling and releasing Allen with a hiss when he felt the omegas teeth bite into him. Lenalee seemed to find this somewhat acceptable before she looked up and looked at the general that had taken care of her little brother while he was incapable.

Jerking in surprise, the beta smiled and rushed to hug the alpha.

"Kanda! What are you doing here? It's been too long!" the beta exclaimed before pulling away and looking the alpha over, making sure he was uninjured. Allen stood stock still, how did Lenalee know this man?

"Um, Lenalee? Do you know this man?" the omega found himself asking before wincing at the smirk the alpha sent his way.

"Oh, sorry Allen. This is General Kanda Yuu, he and I have been friends since we were children. We practically grew up together!"


	5. Thoughts

Allen looked between his friend and the alpha who had helped him the night before. The omega in him purred happily at the prospect of this alpha knowing the people he considered family while the rest of him sighed in exasperation. Without saying a word, for he knew he would regret whatever he said, Allen shook his head and walked upstairs to his room. His room was his sanctuary, no one was allowed in it and his scent covering the sheets caused him to relax.

Since he hadn't done so at the inn, Allen began to gather his sheets and pillows and make a small nest, nowhere big enough to fit anyone besides himself and creating a visual reminder that he didn't want to mate or be with anyone. Curling up, the albino soon fell asleep surrounded by comfort, knowing he was safe with the betas he lived with and away from any alphas.

* * *

Kanda watched the omega huff and go upstairs, noting the way Lenalee watched with a strange look.

"How are things here?" the general found himself asking, his gaze still on the now unoccupied staircase. Lenalee finally jolted from her reverie and gave Kanda an inquisitive look before smiling.

"Komui and I are doing well, for the time being. We had a close call with some of the guards from the Akuma squadron but we're alright. The 'King' has been getting antsy and I fear for Allen more than myself." the general frowned and gave the beta woman a once over before noting the bandage wrapped around her right ankle, clearly she had been in a very close call.

"Why fear for the omega? You are definitely of more importance, status wise." Lenalee frowned, she hadn't expected Kanda to revert to his old way of thinking, something she thought she'd beat out of him years ago.

"My status in this world does not make me more important than the common folk. Allen is like a brother to me, we want to adopt him but neither Komui or I are alpha and we cannot reveal ourselves without putting everything in jeopardy. We have tried our best to protect him but its not enough, he'd already been enslaved before we found him and he is at risk to be taken again." the beta voiced, hoping to convey her opinion without pissing the prime alpha off. Kanda scowled but nodded, he didn't like the idea of the smaller omega being taken.

"I must be off, the other guards will start to look for me soon. I will stay in the vicinity and watch over all of you but you can't mention my presence to the Moyashi. He would throw a fit." the general stated, giving Lenalee a salute and leaving the home, leaving his scent to block off other alphas from the still vulnerable omega just upstairs. Kanda wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to protect the small omega, all he knew was that he needed to make sure the other was never harmed.

Once Kanda left, Lenalee found herself standing in the storefront of their small home and decided to check on her friend. She stalked up the stairs and opened the door to Allen's bedroom only to find the omega sleeping soundly in a small nest with a few of her shirts and one of Komui's hats mixed in. Clearly her friend was tired and needed rest and knowing he felt comfortable enough to sleep out the lingering heat in her presence made her smile.

Sitting down, Lenalee grabbed a comb and softly brushed the tangles from the omega's hair and started humming a light tune until she heard the faint purr coming from deep in Allen's chest. She continued to care for her friend until a knock on the door alerted her.

"Lenalee? Are you in here?" came the concerned voice of her brother.

"I'm here, Allen's asleep so please be quiet." Komui entered the room and relaxed when he saw Allen sleeping in his nest purring softly. He had been worried sick when Allen hadn't returned home after getting his herbs.

"Kanda-kun was here, he took care of Allen-kun when he went into heat." Lenalee whispered. The beta male nodded and sat down, shifting over so he could better wrap his arm around his dear sister.

"How's the shirt coming along? The silk piece for Allen."

"It's finished, I had hoped to get it to him so he could wear something nice to get his papers but it looks like he didn't get them."

Komui nodded and hugged his sister before getting up so he could man the storefront and allow his charges more time to relax and recover. Lenalee watched her brother leave the room but continued to stroke the omega's head to ease the lingering heat from him. Despite being worried about him for the past few days, she was glad he was gone and didn't see the attack that had happened. She had only told Kanda some of what happened, the man would usually go into a frenzy when things happened so when her brother and her were cornered and attacked she only called it a close call.

But what scared her was what the attackers had said, 'We know who he is.' Lenalee feared they were talking about Allen. His gender was known and since he remained unmated he was in danger. Their enemy had gotten smarter, they weren't targeting them anymore, but the vulnerable omega under their care. A soft groan pulled Lenalee out of her thoughts and she looked down to see silver eyes staring up at her with affection and exhaustion.

"Hello Allen-kun, go back to sleep, you're safe now." Lenalee whispered as she stroked over smooth ears and into soft snow colored hair. The omega nodded and curled up further in his nest and fell back to sleep, his purr deepening.

"I'll protect you, I promise."


	6. Threats

Morning came and Allen woke to the sound of birds chirping through his open window. Stifling a yawn, the omega sat up and looked around, noting the extra shirts in his small nest. Smiling to himself, the albino stretched and got up before headed to the washroom to have a much needed bath. Walking out of his room, the omega made his way down the stairs and into the bathroom where he found a freshly drawn bath waiting for him.

Smiling, Allen closed all the windows before undressing; he needed to change his bandages since it had been a few days since he had. Taking the wrappings off of his arm, the entire length of which was red, and his face. The albino shook his hair out and looked at himself in the small mirror, seeing his petite pale frame with his wider hips and the prominent Marks; he hated the way he looked, ashamed of how he never belonged.

Lowering himself into the bath at long last, Allen felt his tense muscles slowly relax as the heat worked them loose. He took his time cleaning himself, working even slower on his arm as the heat caused his arm to flare up, strange white feathers emerging from his arm as it pulsed in pain. Finally, after the water had cooled down Allen got out and dried himself before wrapping his arm up as well as his face. Now clean and ready for the day to start, Allen walked into the storefront and noticed both Komui and Lenalee manning the front counter.

"Good morning." Allen said while fixing a crooked display of finely made hats.

"Good morning Allen, how do you feel today?" Lenalee asked, making to grab a box from below the counter.

"Much better, I think the heat has fully passed now. Though I still need to obtain my papers." the albino replied. Lenalee nodded and smiled before presenting a neatly wrapped box to the omega. Allen tilted his head in confusion before slowly unwrapping the box to reveal a beautiful plum colored silk blouse.

Making a soft reverent touch, the omega sighed in awe at the sheer beauty of the textile. "Its beautiful, but I can't except this."

"Keep it Allen, Lenalee made it for you so you can look nice for your documents." Komui pitched in while folding some other handmade blouses, thought the material was considerably cheaper than the lovely piece given to the albino. Blushing softly, Allen nodded and cradled the fabric to his chest before giving Lenalee a quick peck on the cheek and running upstairs to put his new blouse on.

Once fully dressed, Allen left the store and stalked his way through dark alleys until he spotted a merchant too busy with a thief to bother watching his stall. With the grace of a cat, the albino snuck up and grabbed the coin purse that sat just beneath the booths top. Making a clean getaway, the omega stopped when he spotted another vendor with a lovely set of emerald jewelry and finely made hats. Thinking on how much he owed the family, he snuck over and made sure he wasn't spotted before grabbing the emerald set a black French beret.

Making sure he wasn't being followed, Allen quickly stored the items in a loose brick he would be back later to grab them; then he swiftly made his way towards the inner city where he could have his papers made. He passed by noblemen and ladies who all gave him looks of disdain, it would seem that no matter where he was, he would always be seen as lesser. It took him roughly four hours to reach the rich red brick building on foot but by three in the afternoon he was there and had enough gold to purchase documents, the price was twice as much here and usually an alpha had to be present but Allen had found that his blouse had been fully scented by Komui and thus he looked like a young alpha.

After waiting in line for another hour, the omega finally walked up to an elderly beta woman who gave him a scrutinizing look.

"What do you need done today?" she sneered out. Allen winced internally but brought out his stolen coins and placed them on the counter.

"I am here to purchase...Marked documents." Allen said with some hesitation, noticing the varying looks he received at the admission. Men glared and some even reached for their holsters while women pulled their children behind them with scared looks. The elderly beta scoffed and brought out the papers and began to ask for Allen's name when she caught sight of a guard shaking his head towards her. Getting the hint, the woman smirked and took the purse before scowling.

"Well, I say! First you come barging in here talking nonsense, and now you don't even have enough coin! The audacity of Marked!"

"What? The price is fifteen silver, I have at least twice that in gold!" Allen exclaimed, casting worried looks around as the bystanders slowly closed in on him.

"Clearly you can't read. The sign says fifteen gold, which you do not have. Guards, take this abomination out of here!" And with that, Allen was grabbed by the arm and pushed out of the building, cold words of hate being spit at him from those around. Letting out a soft sob, the omega quickly got up and ran, running until he physically couldn't move anymore.

Leaning against the cold stones of a dark alley, Allen's chest heaved from exertion and tears welled up, pushing to be released in streams down his pale face. The albino stood like this for a moment before he heard a rustle of cloth and metal and turned to a see a group of royal guards making their way towards him. Allen bolted, pushing against stone to propel him forward and away from the guards.

But it was to no avail, he soon was grabbed and pulled back until he was trapped against the chest of a guard who reeked of alpha, causing the omega to whimper slightly in fear.

"Shh now, kitten, we wouldn't want anything bad to happen now would we?" one of the other guards laughed out and soon Allen found himself surrounded by three alphas in front and one behind him holding him at bay. A small knife was brought to his throat and Allen could feel his pulse quicken in fear and despair.

"Cooperate and you'll live to see another day."

* * *

The royal palace was one of grey stone and stained glass windows larger then life. The glass depicted various scenes of history and moved up in time to reflect the most current achievement behind the throne where a man sat leisurely. Beside him stood his twin, his confidant in all things. Time passed slowly as the King listened to the common drabble of the advisors before finally dismissing them with a grimacing sigh.

"It would seem that all is in order, despite the boredom of meetings. Tell me, Neah, have you had any luck in finding that troublesome bunch or are they still out there hiding in the shadows?" the King asked as he rubbed his sore temple. Neah looked at his brother before grimacing himself.

"The Lee family has been found in the outskirts of the city in Marked territory. They currently run a textile and clothing shop, neither have made any major political moves as of yet." Neah announced.

"Then why haven't we taken them into custody?"

"They are harboring an omega, one who bears no direct relation to them and seems unaware as to who they really are. In my humble opinion, we should use this omega to force the Lee's into submission."

"What makes this omega so special? Omega's are good for nothing but sex, why cause all this trouble?" The King asked, sitting up straighter.

Neah smiled and leaned down to whisper the next part, the information for his brother's ears only. "The omega covers his face with wrappings, and has been listed as Marked; not only that but he is quite the beauty and extremely vulnerable. He would be a fine prize for one of our cousins wouldn't you say, Adam? Plus, if we apprehend the boy, we could force the Lee's to acquiesce to our every demand." And at this the King grinned and signaled for his brother to keep going.

"I had some guards approach the omega earlier, this should be a fun game of cat and mouse."


	7. Marked Aid

Kanda strolled through the cobblestone streets, making sure he kept an eye out for any disturbances that he may come across. As one of the main generals for the royal family, he had heard many things, but the most recent order scared him. The king's brother had ordered the capture of an omega who was Marked; the order being the top priority to all generals and soldiers under their command. Kanda feared that the omega under Lenalee and Komui's care had become an unknowing target in the political vendetta between the two nobles. It was as he was strolling through the area surrounding the Courthouse that he noticed a commotion going on. The sounds of armor against cobblestone and the scent of blood wafted through the air.

Without hesitation, Kanda ran to the alley where the noises and blood were coming from and stumbled into a gruesome scene. There, leaning against the brick wall and panting harshly was the Moyashi, blood seeping from his left eye; and around him was carnage. Four soldiers lay lifelessly on the ground with gashes covering their mangled bodies, pools of blood staining the stone ground. Allen looked for all purposes like he'd seen a ghost; his face pale and exhaustion clear in his eyes. It was at this point that Kanda finally took notice of the porcelain face; there covering the omega's left eye was a Mark, one that was still glowing faintly from use. Seeing how panicked the omega was and the amount of blood, Kanda slowly approached the boy, acting as though he was approaching a hurt wild animal.

"I'm not going to hurt you. But I need you to deactivate your Mark." Kanda said slowly, releasing his pheromones to help calm the still shaking albino. He watched as Allen shook his head and shrunk into himself.

"Please. I'm not here to hurt you, Allen." Still the omega refused and the alpha found himself creeping over dead bodies to reach the omega who was releasing distressed pheromones without realizing it. In an effort to comfort, Kanda let out a soft purr to entice the omega into relaxing; which seemed to do the trick for he watched as Allen slowly uncurled and let out a small whimper.

"I can't."

"Yes you can, just let go and let me help you."

"No, I can't. I didn't even activate it!" the omega whined, full panic on his face. Kanda frowned and looked at the still glowing Mark, it was unheard of for Mark's to activate on their own but he was inclined to believe the albino when he was this fearful.

"I believe you, and I'm here to help. Just give me your hand." the alpha said as he reached over the last body and extended his arm to reach the albino. Allen peered at him wearily before a shaking hand made its way to his, the pale fingers cold. With a gentle tug, Kanda pulled the omega to him and pressed the albino's face towards his neck, allowing the omega to take in his scent as reassurance. Slowly he knelt down so that he was cradling the other in his arms and felt the trembling slowly subside until he heard and felt a soft sigh escape the other.

"You're alright. Tell me what happened."

"I...I went to purchase p-papers but was thrown out. Th-then some guards cornered me and held a k-knife to my throat. The next thing I-I know they're dead and my eye is throbbing." Allen sobbed out, clinging closer to the warmth and soothing scent of the other. Kanda continued to calm the omega down, though his mind had begun to wander at the explanation. Could the Mark have been protecting Allen? Taking a look at the lifeless bodies, the general noticed the royal insignia alongside a music note, clearly men working under the king's brother then.

"Let's get you back to Komui and Lenalee." Kanda said as he ripped his sleeve and wrapped the cloth around the other's Marked eye, hoping to help keep it hidden before lifting the omega up into his arms to carry the other back through the streets. Allen yelped in surprise but ultimately didn't protests which only made the alpha more concerned. The other was typically stubborn and seeing him be so quiet hurt.

Kanda walked all the way back to Komui's home, ignoring the smattering of looks and snide comments that only dissipated when he glared or allowed his royal insignia to shine in the light. He kicked the door gently to simulate a knock since his arms were full but received no answer and proceeded to kick the door open. The lights were off and the alpha wanted to growl in frustration, they weren't supposed to leave the house without him.

"They went to sell some clothes in the market." came Allen's voice, surprising the alpha holding him.

"How do you know?"

"There's a note." And much to his surprise, Kanda found a note addressed to Allen letting him know where they were and when they would be back. Nodding, Kanda shifted and let go of Allen so he could stand by himself.

"I want to treat your eye, where are the ointments kept?" the omega pointed to a small cabinet behind the counter and watched as Kanda grabbed the jars of ointment.

"Um, I know it's strange, but can I go to my room?"

"Che. Why? I have the ointment right here."

Allen looked down and mumbled "I want my nest" hoping the alpha hadn't heard him very omega reply. Kanda just nodded and escorted the albino to his room and saw the small nest sitting there smelling of spiced fruit. Putting his arms up, Kanda waited for Allen to give him permission to enter his room, and more importantly, his nest. It was common knowledge that omega's only let those they trusted near their nests, let alone in them.

Allen just sniffed and curled up into his nest before giving the general a pointed look, clearly saying 'get in here'. Not wanting to disturb anything, the general sat just outside the nest and pulled the cloth from Allen's face. The Mark had stopped glowing and was now an angry red. Kanda took his time applying the ointment ad found some proper wrappings to rebind the Mark. When he was finished, Kanda looked down to see the omega drifting off, clearly exhausted from his ordeal.

He tried to get up but found that the albino's left hand wouldn't let go and the now asleep omega whined, clearly not wanting the alpha to leave. Sighing, Kanda shifted until he lay next to the nest and held the omega, offering what comforts he could provide.

* * *

Lenalee and Komui had sold many of their wares at the market, and noticed the light in Allen's room was on when they arrived back. After putting their leftover merchandise away for the next day, Lenalee walked up the stairs and stubbled at the scene in front of her. Allen was clearly asleep in his nest, which wasn't strange, what was strange was Kanda holding the other gently and softly growling in comfort.

"He was attacked." came the alpha's voice, without looking up from the sleeping omega. Lenalee felt her heart stop at the words.

"I'll tell you more when he wakes up, for now, let him sleep."

"Thank you Kanda, I'll let Komui know and we'll get some food cooking." Lenalee said as she left, she would let her friend sleep.


	8. Revelation

After what seemed like an eternity, the albino finally loosened his grip on Kanda's arm in his sleep, allowing the alpha to gently escape before heading downstairs for a rather tense lecture he had to deliver. The stairs creaked under his footsteps, alerting the other two he was coming down.

"Kanda, please. What happened?" came Lenalee's distressed voice.

"I'm not entirely sure of the events that led up to the attack. He was out of sorts when I found him. What I've gleaned from the situation, the Moyashi went to get documents but was denied and then tailed by royal guards. Specifically those under the advisors paycheck. They must have threatened him. I was patrolling the city when I smelt blood and made my way to an alley where I found the Moyashi in a panic." Kanda explained, watching as both betas gasped in horror for their friend.

"Now, clearly there are issues concerning the omegas Marked status. However, you two play a part in this too. How can he better protect himself if he doesn't know he even needs protecting?! You have kept him in the dark and now he's been hurt because of it. You can't hide any longer; if you trust him, you need to tell him the truth. I can't always be there for him!" Kanda yelled, his anger taking over. Lenalee looked down in shame, her heart hurting at the pain she had caused her friend-no many how unintentional it was.

"I have to be going, I can't be away from my post any longer without causing suspicion. But you two need to either trust him with your secret or leave him be. He can't do this alone, and neither can you." Kanda said before bowing and leaving the building. With a sigh, the beta looked over at her brother and simply raised an eyebrow.

"Kanda is right, brother. We can't keep Allen in the dark, especially if we wish to keep him in our lives." Komui nodded and took his glasses off, placing them on the counter of the shop before sitting on one of the chairs.

"Bring him down, he deserves the truth. I will grab some food." he sighed. Lenalee offered a soft smile as she headed up the stairs to collect the snoozing omega. The beta walking into the endearing sight of the omega softly snoring in his nest. She didn't want to have to wake her friend but she also needed to get the truth to him as soon as possible. Gently shaking his shoulder, Lenalee tried to coax the albino into waking up.

With a grumble, Allen sat up and rubbed the sand from his eyes, blearily glaring at Lenalee for waking him. Then the days events came back to him and the omega looked around to see where Kanda was. At the alphas absence, Allen could feel his inner omega begin to whimper in distress but he made sure to tamp the emotion down, not wanting Lenalee to see how upset he was.

"Sorry to disturb you Allen, but Kanda told us what happened before he went back to his post. I'm so sorry that happened to you, and after seeing this, Komui and I have decided something. We have dinner downstairs for you, and you can eat while we talk."

"Alright, what's for dinner?" Allen asked simply, making his way out of his nest.

"Komui is getting it ready but I'm not sure what it will be."

Allen nodded and made his way downstairs, following the aroma of beef stew in the air. When he got down, he saw Komui stirring a small pot with the watered-down stew, the man's eyes clearly dazed with thought.

"Allen! Good to see you up. Sit down, the stew shouldn't be more than a few minutes."

"It smells lovely Komui, its been a while since we had beef stew."

The older man just nodded and went back to the stew; the others remaining silent until Komui began to put stew into brass bowls. Once everyone was served, Komui cleared his throat and gestured to Lenalee.

"Allen, there's something Komui and I have to tell you. But there's something you have to understand, we love you Allen, and no matter what happens, we always will care for you."

"Is everything okay?"

"In order for you to understand completely, we need to give you some background." Komui started, "In the time of our ancestors, when the Marked were accepted widely, the land was divided into certain countries-England among them. Wars were started and ended, battles fought and won. And in the end, the empire known as China took control over most of the land, including England. Each conquered land was allowed to keep its language, culture, and religion but had to defer to the Chinese royal family. This went on for generations. That is, until a pair of brothers came. Each held a Mark, one to conquer, one to wipe memories. Together they overthrew the royal family and became the new rulers, wiping the memories of all. They instilled a hatred of Marked and created the inhibitors, making the memories seem as though this was common practice when in fact, before their rule, all were equal." Komui stated.

Allen looked between the two in confusion but nodded, wanting to know where this would go. He trusted them with his life.

"This is were we come in. Allen, Komui and I are the Crown Prince and Princess. Adam and Neah killed our parents, the Emperor and Empress, and were going to kill us too before we escaped. Kanda is the captain of our guard and he retains his memory of us, he's been our protector all these years. However, when we found you we couldn't just leave you to suffer. Doing this has put a target on you, the guards who attacked you were due to us."


End file.
